Cape Cod has a long history of marine mammal strandings, partially because of dramatic changes in the tide that sometimes trap wayward dolphins. But scientists say an unprecedentedly bad year for beached dolphins on the Cape might have to do with warming waters changing the availability of the animals’ food.
An International Fund for Animal Welfare team carries a stranded common dolphin to a waiting vehicle while another waits to be rescued at Herring River in Wellfleet, Mass., Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012.
Cape Cod has a long history of marine mammal strandings. That is partially because of dramatic changes in the tide that sometimes trap wayward dolphins if they swim too close to shore. The massive number of strandings has stretched the group's resources and supplies, said Brian Sharp, marine mammal rescue team lead for the organization and a biologist by training. Scientists are still trying to determine what is causing the strandings, but they have noticed that the small fish the dolphins eat in high numbers have been swimming close to the shore, he said.
Of the 342 stranded dolphins, 293 were able to be released back into the wild, Sharp said. More than 90 additional dolphins were found dead upon stranding, he said.of more than 100 dolphins in the summer that rescuers said was the largest event of its kind in recorded U.S. history. The Cape can be difficult for the animals to navigate because of its sloping sandbars, hooked shape and sticky mudflats.
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Historically bad year for dolphin strandings on Cape Cod has scientists looking for answersScientists say an unprecedentedly bad year for beached dolphins on Cape Cod might have to do with warming waters changing the availability of the animals’ food. Cape Cod has a long history of marine mammal strandings. That is partially because of dramatic changes in the tide that sometimes trap wayward dolphins if they swim too close to shore.
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Historically bad year for dolphin strandings on Cape Cod has scientists looking for answersScientists say an unprecedentedly bad year for beached dolphins on Cape Cod might have to do with warming waters changing the availability of the animals’ food.
Read more »
Historically bad year for dolphin strandings on Cape Cod has scientists looking for answersScientists say an unprecedentedly bad year for beached dolphins on Cape Cod might have to do with warming waters changing the availability of the animals’ food.
Read more »
Historically bad year for dolphin strandings on Cape Cod has scientists looking for answersScientists say an unprecedentedly bad year for beached dolphins on Cape Cod might have to do with warming waters changing the availability of the animals’ food.
Read more »
Dolphin strandings on Cape Cod has scientists looking for answersScientists say an unprecedentedly bad year for beached dolphins on Cape Cod might have to do with warming waters changing the availability of the animals’ food. Cape Cod has a long history of marine mammal strandings. That is partially because of dramatic changes in the tide that sometimes trap wayward dolphins if they swim too close to shore.
Read more »
Bad year for dolphin strandings on Cape Cod has scientists looking for answersScientists say an unprecedentedly bad year for beached dolphins on Cape Cod might have to do with warming waters changing the availability of the animals’ food
Read more »